Rob 1

Slowly building up some of the detail on the island structure, some of it part of the kit but there's a fair amount of additional parts to add. Should be moving on to masts soon, then the radar fit.

Certainly looks an epic project, will watch with interest. It's particularly poignant that its from your Dad's time in service and with that photo, that's a really nice touch.

That's great, it's incredibly well finished and weathered.

That does look very good, very well finished in every respect.

They look great, particularly good for first 1:700 ship models with all the 'trimmings' - excellent.

That is figure painting at its very best - well done.

I'm liking all those finely detailed light AA guns, particularly the quad 20mm Flakvierlings. They'll look very impressive when completed and mounted aboard the destroyer.

This is progressing well now, thanks for the update, nice to see all the good work going on there.

I’ve been puzzling over various photos to finalise the mast and radar fit, which changed at certain intervals. Anyway, to cut a long story short, someone (called Michael Smith) has already done their homework on this, so I would share his website entry as below. I would add that his findings seem to tie up with what I have found on the various photos that are publicly available from different points in time. I was also pleased as my Tom's Modelworks photo-etch set includes parts for this full August '43 fit. http://mcsmith.blogs.com/general/2016/05/uss-essex-cv-9-model-island-modifications.html Hope this may be of help EJS, and any other USS Essex builders from her earlier days in service (up to late 1943 before the 1944 refit).

That's amazing, the ground scene and the Mosquito, excellent work.

That's very good, always nice to see a well finished British destroyer.

Thanks Gents. The Navsource site is an excellent (and accurate) source for ship photos, probably the best available, with a fair few of CV-9 Essex. http://www.navsource.org/ Joining the three deck parts was a real pain. I found that the interlocking tabs kept it firm but it wouldn’t align the joining parts level or close up tightly, so opted to cut off the single mid tab on its side of the joint and just use the two tabs on the other side of the joint. This made the join less strong, but when glued it is plenty strong enough, but it did allow the deck edges to come together nice and level and tight together. The edges are very straight but there was still a tiny gap when dry joined, so fine sanded the high points to get an even tighter join. The remaining minute gap was filled, but I’d recommend using white (PVA) glue applied by fine brush rather than filler, as even the finest filling material spills onto the deck and can damage the very finely molded deck planks and steel tie-down strips. Also with the deck, getting the two raised elevators level and with an even gap all around needed a bit of extra work with a sheet strip under each, and I scored a deeper gap around the bomb and torpedo elevators to increase the visible gap and make those elevator platforms look more like a separate part. Incidentally, are you planning to do yours pre-1944 refit with SBDs, or after with SB2C Helldivers?

Good work so far, the weathered and part newly painted areas definitely looks very effective.

Have started to build up the main island structure, certainly a more interesting part of the build. Most of the island parts have needed extra work, nearly every part that is glued to another part has needed the gaps filling, not big gaps but small visible joints all over where there shouldn't be, and the main island structure will need finally filling when fixed to the flight deck. Also needed a few alterations and additions to decks etc. Still loads to do, lots of detail to add, hopefully will make good progress during this week.

That is phenomenal work, the build is brilliant to create one of the classic British cruiser classes, but the finishing is absolutely top rate, great subtlety in the shading and weathering, and displayed in my favourite method of an at sea diorama - just brilliant all round, well done!

That's superb, I particularly like the quality of the figures and the scenery.

Ha, sounds just like many of my ship building sessions - my last ship took 1 and 1/2 years to build!

Quite agree, it is amazing they put an old battle cruiser of a general design concept that had proven dangerously vulnerable to catastrophic failure against a modern armoured battleship. They certainly knew to withdraw in other occasions when the risk was considered too great, such as withdrawing Prince of Wales shortly after (although she was sadly left vulnerable in another situation not long after).

Good job, looks a finely finished ship, and all the more so in this scale.

This has turned out really well, the whole scene as well as the destroyer itself looks very good.

I've seen these kits for sale but don't think I've seen one built as yet, so will be watching with interest. The kit looks mouth watering, certainly is an attractive and a real legendary cruiser.

Hi Beefy, apologies if you mentioned it before, but which manufacturer is the 4 barrel 'Pom Pom' from? Just wondering as I would need one if I get one of these Tribals. It certainly looks nicely detailed.

Thanks for describing your assignments and activities above EJS, I always find this kind of thing interesting, particularly first hand accounts. The build is progressing slow but steady behind the scenes, currently building up the island, and now drilling out and opening up some doors, which can be seen to open up onto the flight deck in many photos, not least this famous one of Yorktown. The kit doesn't help though as the island sits on a raised profile lump (to help locate the assembled island structure), this needs partly cutting away to provide some internal deck at the right level. Should progress enough to post some photos in the next few days. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/F6F-3_Hellcats_aboard_USS_Yorktown_(CV-10)%2C_31_August_1943_(80-G-K-14833).jpg

I think the comments weren't knocking 1:700 for it's quality, as you are correct that the new kits and aftermarket sets are exceptionally well detailed and can produce great little models, and has a much better choice of subjects. However, in my (and others) opinion, the one big advantage of 1:350 over 1:700 is just the increased size and consequent visual impact for the viewer of the finished model - (1:200 takes this a stage further, but then space really would become an issue).

HMS Zulu in 1:350 should be a good one to start with. For going bigger, the Tamiya big 1:350 ships (such as King George V and Bismarck) make very good larger models, and are exceptionally good value for money. Also handy that branches of Hobbycraft seem to stock them (along with paints and accessories).